Images of zodiac signs were discovered on the walls of an ancient temple in Egypt (photo)

During the restoration of the Temple of Esna in Egypt, unusual for ancient Egyptian culture paintings were discovered. A team of researchers from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, together with archaeologists from the University of Tübingen, discovered zodiacal reliefs.

The ceiling depicted the starry sky and zodiac signs. It is reported by HeritageDaily.

It is noted that the mural depicts the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as a number of stars and constellations that were used to measure time. According to the researchers, the paintings are almost 2,000 years old.

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"Representations of the zodiac are very rare in Egyptian temples. The zodiac itself is part of Babylonian astronomy and does not appear in Egypt until Ptolemaic times," said Christian Leitz, Director of the Department of Egyptology at the University of Tübingen.

Archaeologists assume that zodiac constellations were not inherent in Egypt until the Greeks brought them to the country. Later, the symbols were used to decorate tombs and sarcophagi.

The team also found images of various creatures. Some of them are a snake with a ram's head, a bird with a crocodile's head, a snake's tail and four wings, as well as images of snakes and crocodiles.

Earlier, in the area of the ancient Masada fortress, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority unearthed a papyrus payroll written in the name of a Roman soldier.

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